If You Were a Story, I’d BURY You!!

From Yahoo Sports — 3rd NFL link of the day:

MINDEN, Nev. (AP)—The woman who has accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes) of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino where she worked told authorities she has received dozens of threatening and harassing phone calls.

In a police report filed with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, the 31-year-old woman said she has received “well over 100” annoying messages since she filed a civil suit against the football star on July 17 in Washoe District Court in Reno.

The woman said people have left phone messages calling her a “whore” and threatening that “something’s going to happen” if she did not drop the lawsuit, according to the police report filed July 30.

From ESPN — 9th NFL link of the day, and sinking:

MINDEN, Nev. — The woman who has accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino where she worked told authorities she has received dozens of threatening and harassing phone calls.

In a police report filed with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, the 31-year-old woman said she has received “well over 100” annoying messages since she filed a civil suit against the football star on July 17 in Washoe District Court in Reno.

The woman said people have left phone messages calling her a “whore” and threatening that “something’s going to happen” if she did not drop the lawsuit, according to the police report filed July 30.

It’s the same story.  ESPN can say they covered it, but they’re sure to keep it furthest from sight.  What’s most interesting about this story is that it was credited wholly to the Associated Press.  Often times, though not always, ESPN pays some intern to crank out one or two lines so that they can label the article as coming from the “ESPN.com News Services.”  Oxymoron that it is, the term provides an indication of the “ownership of a piece.

ESPN is clearly keeping as much distance from this piece as possible.

“Rape charges!?  What rape charges?  Oh, the false ones we’ve already proven to be false — those rape charges.  Riiiiight.”

ADDENDUM: The story has been pushed OFF the ESPN NFL page, as of Friday afternoon.  It’s gone, but not forgotten.